Happy birthday Josh

Today is Joshua's 14th birthday.  We spent some time together at Richardson's beach.

Six More Days

I've been pretty miserable the last two weeks.  (That looking on the bright side wore thin pretty quick.)  There isn't much I can do while wearing a cast.  I can't cook, can't get in the water, can't work.  I've been stressing about not being able to do so many things that I lost track of time.

I just realized that this cast will be removed next Thursday - only six days from now.  Ohhhhhhh, I so look forward to that day.

i've been slowed down a bit

When I started this blog I intended to post at least once a week and even more once I started taking pictures. Well, I have been hampered by ... a broken wrist.

One month to the day of my arrival in Hilo I was struck by a car.  The bad news -  I broke my left wrist.  The good news - I am right handed.  I'm so bored out of my mind but i'm alive.  I could go on and on but I'll stop there.

Anyway, I am temporarily staying with my kids and their dad as I recover (the brake was very bad - it will take three months to heal).  They live in a town called Volcano.  Yes, they live on the top of a volcano - Kilauea one of the earth's most active!  Good news -  I am being taken care of, bad news - and this might surprise you, Volcano is cold.   As in I don't want to get out of bed in the morning cold, fleece jacket cold and even on occasion hot chocolate cold.  Of course I didn't bring ant sweaters or flannel pjs to Hawaii but boy do I wish I had!  It can be pleasantly warm during the day but in the morning and after the sun goes down the temperatures drop significantly.

I am staying on the bright side though.  Volcano is beautiful as you can see from some of the pictures I took at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park last weekend.

kitchen table

my chill spot

this is where i like to come for lunch, a cup of  tea or to talk on the phone.  it is an airway at the hostel with cool trick-of-the-eye paintings and beautiful plants.

Kamehameha Day

Ok. I'm about to get jiggy with the photos and the Kamehameha Day celebration seems like an excellent time to start.


Earlier this evening I went to watch the beginning of the celebration here in Hilo. At Bayfront Park before a stunning gilded statue of King Kamehameha I a band played a few selections and a choral group sang. However we were really all there to watch Hawaiian royal societies and individuals present leis that were draped on the statue's outstretched arm.

So who is Kamehameha I? The son of a chief on the big island of Hawai'i Kamehameha conquered and united the Hawaiian islands. In 1810 he established the Kingdom of Hawai'i.

Kamehameha Day is celebrated June 11th through out the state of Hawai'i. Kamehameha V established this day of celebration 95 years ago. There are big celebrations and parades in Honolulu, the state capital, and in Kahala, a town on the big island's northern tip where Kamehameha I was born. 

Settling In

So I have found a place to live. It is in the same block as the hostel I have been staying at. When it had been offered to me initially I wasn't interested because it was dark. But after looking at a place about a twenty minute walk away from downtown Hilo, I decided to take it. It seems that I love downtown Hilo. When I take a long walk then start heading back, I feel overjoyed and relieved as I get closer to home.

Hilo has been described as a working class city. Perhaps that is one of the reasons I feel comfortable here. The downtown area of Hilo reminds me alot of Charles Village where I have lived twice for several years each time. Like Charles Village practically everything I need is within walking distance. The library and post office are about five minutes away. There are two grocery stores that are about ten minutes away. Two movie theaters - The Palace - a restored one screen theater that shows non-commercial films, and Kress which is a four screen dollar theater. There is a farmer's market, coffee shops, and restaurants all within walking distance.

There are some consignment shops and a Salvation Army "The Sammy Shop" but that is the one area where Hilo is lacking. Their second hand stores are small which is to be expected - there are a lot less people here. And the stuff is not exciting.

Yes, I'll definitely miss thrift shopping. Hilo cannot compare to Baltimore in that area. The shops in Baltimore would lure me in "stop in here, I have that thing you need!" And they never let me down. My favorite stores were Value Village on York Road, Vogue Revisited on Roland Avenue and the thrift store on North Avenue.

Oh well, I am in a small space and don't really need to be filling it up with stuff anyway!